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Topic: Tales from the Wobbly Workshop (Read 69737 times)

It's been quite a busy week in the workshop at work - Inspection & Maintenance contractors in for fixed machines - lathes,bandsaws,etc (I've had to sort out some problems challenges they found), 45 ukelele kits to machine, and lots of clearing up. Not much time for work on the Speedy.

I did find time to get a bit done on the seat:-

More coats of wax and a coat of mould release spray...

...then a gelcoat...

...and a few layers of glass mat and polyester resin.

Working with composites is much more difficult than most people imagine - it took 3 hours to get to that stage and cleared up.

By the next day the resin has set, and can be given a haircut with scissors...

...before being trimmed with a jigsaw and sanded to the edge of the original seat.

Rims. A popular conversion is to 406. It changes the castor angle slightly but Redshift (#176 was originally built with Moulton rims) doesn't experience any odd handling and she's had hers over 15 years. Also means you can fit Kojaks, halving the cost of tyres

The SA hubs were modified with bigger inner bearings, I believe the axles were bespoke items, too.

Using 406s is probably an even bigger money saver than that. Saturday: my grate frend Mr Sheen fits a brand new pair of Wolbers to his Speedy. Sunday: racing at Eastway. By the end of the day both tyres were shagged, even though he swapped left and right during the lunch break.

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External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-PercheSatisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

I remember the same Burrows gentleman shouting to Dave Wrath-Sharman, who was riding one of the first Greenspeed trikes in the UK, to "Try pulling just one brake on, then", and being very annoyed that Mr Wrath-Sharman raised one arm above his head, locked one wheel and kept a completely straight path. (I believe this was at a Wolverhampton BHPC meet)

I'd guess the Wincheetah doesn't have perfect centre point or Ackermann, but has an element of both. I would expect with larger front wheels it would be even less centrey point, unless you did something stupid like dishing the wheels...

Back in the Olden Days a trick used by Windcheetah racers was to slacken the RH brake cable right off to aid turn-in for the Eastway hairpin. It was important to rebalance the brakes before riding home

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External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-PercheSatisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Well the seat popped out of the mould. I used a 80mm wide strip of 6mm MDF (offcut) shoved down, around the curve between the seat and the mould. A few areas of filler stuck fast and I'll have to clean these off and 'dress' the mould before I can make a new seat. I will probably repair the original seat with carbon/glass tape and Kevlar resined on the inside.

The shape would also probably work well as a front fairing too. If the new seat turns out OK, I might make a fairing too.

As the speedy doesn't have any capabilty to carry anything, I fancy making a tailbox for it too, but that can be done once the machine is restored to roadworthyness-ness.

The spokes for the rear wheel were delivered last week, so, one evening earlier in the week, I laced the wheel. Today's dry (but cold) weather gave me an oppotunity to get the frame out and give it a clean...

...loosen the clamps and drift out the old bearings...

...and fit the new bearings and rear wheel, ready for trueing (it doesn't fit in the normal jig.

An old seatpost was used as a drift to drive the new bearing on/in, but that was a job that needed three hands, so no photos of it being done.

Before Christmas, I asked my colleague if he would take a look at the bits and let me know if he thought a welded repair was possible. The answer came back that it should be possible, and would I like him to have a go at it?

The bearing in the front hub brake had completely seized, so it's been drifted out and a new one ordered. The hubs take 28mm bearings - I think the bike Sturmey Archer brake hubs are 26mm Od bearings, so I think Mike/AVD use the wheelchair version of the hubs, designed to have 12mm ID bearings (the Speedy axle is 12mm on the inboard end, tapering to 10mm on the outside.

The seat is now going to be the hold-up on making progress with the trike. Working with composites needs a heated workshop, and quite a bit of time in one session. Home workshop is unheated (and toooo cluttered) and at work, I can only do short 'lunchtime' sessions. I'm hoping to 'save some lunchtimes up' to be able to have an afternoon session during half term.